“I’m a St. Pete guy; I’ve always liked Left Bank and this location. I like the idea of being off the beaten path,” Duclut said. “I’ve been there many times, and literally live a few minutes away from the place.”
“I want to create a place where people can get good food without having to go downtown and find parking,” he added.
Marcel’s St. Pete location is slated to open this September following a series of cosmetic upgrades to the building.
Duclut said the restaurant will offer roughly 25 dishes.
While the St. Pete menu will not mirror Sarasota’s exactly, many of the dishes will overlap, including its cacio e pepe and hanger steak frites with roasted shallots, maître d’ butter, and red wine sauce.
“The menu won’t be exactly the same, but it will be very similar,” Duclut said. “I can take more risks on this menu, but I have to see what people in St. Pete will want.”
Other dishes expected to carry over from Sarasota include branzino served with lobster, zucchini, basil, and almond aillade; grilled octopus with paprika, saffron, and Galician potatoes; and vegetarian meatballs with fresh burrata.